Carbon has the ability to form long chains that includes interconnecting carbon-carbon bonds. Carbon-carbon bonds are fairly strong. This property is important as it allows carbon to form a huge number of compounds. Non-limiting examples of such compounds are carbohydrates, hydrocarbons, alkanes, alkenes, saccharides, polysaccharides, natural polymers, synthesized polymers, synthetic polymers, fossil fuel, alcohols, complex alcohols, poly alcohols, natural rubbers, synthetic rubbers, fauna, flora, cellulose, lignin, starch, and others.
Through chemical-geological processes, organic matter may be transformed into fossil fuel. Through chemical processes the petrochemical industry may refine fossil fuel into many fractions, such as but not limited to, gases, liquids, and various viscous and solid products.
Non-limiting examples of such gases include natural gas, petroleum gas, alkanes of up to 5 carbons, alkenes of up to 5 carbons, methane, methanol, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, butane, butylene, pentane, pentene, etc. Non-limiting examples of such liquids include naphtha, gasoline, petrol, fuel oil, alkanes of 6 or more carbons, alkenes of 6 or more carbons, alcohols of 2 or more carbons, etc. Non-limiting examples of such viscous liquids include heavy fuel oil, wax distillates, base oils, alkanes of 16 or more carbons, alkenes of 16 or more carbons, alcohols of 16 or more carbons, etc. Non-limiting examples of such solids include wax distillates, waxes, bitumen, alkanes of 25 or more carbons, alkenes of 25 or more carbons, alcohols of 25 or more carbons, etc.
Through many chemical processes, with or without catalysts, the petrochemical industry may convert refined products into numerous derivative products.
Non-limiting examples for such chemical processes comprise precipitation, extraction, cracking, cross-linking, polymerization, Fisher-Tropsch, and more. Non-limiting examples of such derivative products comprise polymers, e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyacrylate, synthetic rubber, SBS, SBR, paraffin wax, lubricants, and others.
Through other chemical processes, such as but not limited to, “fermentation”, polysaccharides contained in flora and fauna may be turned into alcoholic fuels, such as but not limited to, methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, etc., or a mixture thereof. Through yet other chemical processes, such as but not limited to, “transesterification”, flora and fauna oil may be turned into “bio-diesel”, e.g., forms of fuel for such common uses as in diesel engines, heating and others.
Due to diminishing sources of fossil fuel and rising energy prices, there is a need for a technology enabling a renewable fuel source.